This invention relates generally to coaxial coupling mechanisms, and, more particularly, the invention relates to coupling means for coaxially connecting a pair of transducer assemblies, maintaining the electrical zero alignment thereof and permanently locking the transducer assemblies after proper alignment.
There are applications in which once coaxial connection of certain members are made, the angular alignment of the members becomes critical. One such application is in the area of transducer assemblies coupled in end-to-end coaxial disposition, where it often is critical that the stators of the coaxial transducer assemblies be precisely angularly aligned after alignment of the electrical zeros of each transducer assembly. Misalignment of such assemblies can lead to crucial errors in certain precision systems, such as airframe control systems, where multiple redundant transducers often are used to protect against the possibility that one or more of the transducers might fail. Thus, although it may be relatively easy to set the electrical zero of a single transducer in this type of application, problems are encountered when plural transducers must be coupled coaxially and aligned angularly to insure uniform electrical zeros across all of the transducers.
Many coaxial coupling mechanisms, such as coaxially coupling transducer assemblies, employ rotatable coupling members for drawing the connectable components together axially in coupled disposition. In the transducer assemblies, a rotatable coupling member in the form of a coupling ring is carried by one stator assembly of one transducer assembly and is engageable with the stator assembly of a coaxially coupled transducer assembly for drawing the assemblies together axially in response to rotation of the coupling ring. Unfortunately, although a coupling ring is quite convenient to use for this purpose, it is difficult to adjust and maintain the angular alignment of the coaxial stator assemblies as the ring is tightened.
Another problem encountered in coaxially coupled transducer assemblies and other systems subject to vibration and other potentially unloosening forces is the need for means for permanently locking the transducer assemblies in proper aligned and coupled disposition once the assemblies are fully coaxially coupled. Furthermore, it is often required that such permanent locking mechanisms not protrude outwardly beyond the peripheral bounds of the transducer assemblies or other systems, and that they be as simple and light as possible.
The present invention is directed to solving the above-identified problems relating to coupling, aligning and permanently locking coaxial connectable members, particularly coaxially connected transducer assemblies.